|
Silver
Bulletin
e-News
Magazine
Section 1: Archives
________________________
________________________
Medical, Biocide
Research May Open New Markets For Silver
Dorothy Kosich
RENO, NV - New research into silver’s
medical and antibacterial properties may mean good news for silver
miners, who are hoping for yet another consumer application for
their product. While silver’s use as a purifier has been
known for thousands of years, research focusing on the ability
of silver to destroy the pathogens that cause illness, disease,
and epidemics is heating up.
In a presentation to the China International
Silver Conference, Dr, John Aspley, Executive Director of the
Immunogenic Research Foundation (IMREF), explained that silver
compounds have been used as medicine since the late 1800s, and
also have been used as a treatment against infections internationally.
Meanwhile, silver has been viewed
as a natural mineral important to health maintenance in the same
class as vitamins containing zinc, chromium, copper, iron and
magnesium. Aspley estimated that over 700 types of pathogens have
been documented to succumb to silver. Biocides are chemicals capable
of killing living organisms, and are more commonly known as antibiotics,
antivirals, antifungals, germicides and so on. Silver basically
disables the food source required by bacteria, viruses, yeasts,
and fungi to survive and reproduce.
Oligodynamic silver refers to the
power of extremely small concentration of metal ions, such as
silver, to exert potent biocidal actions. While it is non-toxic
to people and animals, oligodynamic silver is lethal to viruses,
bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and even cancer cells, according to
Aspley. Basically, silver ions destroy bacteria, viruses and other
germs by disrupting a germ’s membrane proteins, deactivating
bacterial enzymes, and preventing bacteria from replicating.
Among the bacteria which find silver
lethal are salmonella, staph infections, streptococcus, and typhoid.
The viruses which can’t tolerate silver include Herpes,
Influenza, and even the common cold. Uniform Picoscalar Oligodynamic
Silver Hydrosol (UOPSH) can attack and kill HIV/AIDs because of
the ability for the silver particles to bind to the glycoprotein
knobs, which supply the AIDs virus with protein.
The non-profit, Washington State-based
Immunogenic Research Foundation is interested in clinical research
about silver’s potential to combat global epidemics and
pandemics including cancer, hepatitis C, HIV, Lymes Disease, Multiple
Sclerosis, and drug-resistant super-germs.
In a paper published last month in
the international scientific journal Current Science, a team of
scientists lauded the properties of Silver-Water Dispersion solution
as an effective antibiotic. Their study tested 19 different antibiotics
against seven pathogens, including resistant superbugs. A pathogen
is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host.
We encounter pathogens as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa
in the form of slime or molds. While antibiotics may cause illness
to patients to temporarily disappear, the antibiotics may also
leave behind a host of resistant organisms in the patient’s
system. These may reappear at a later date, harming the patient’s
immune system. The scientists then added American Biotech Labs
(ABL) silver to the antibiotics. ABL is 23% owned by Clifton Mining
Company. Their research found that combining antibiotics with
Silver-Water Dispersion solution cleared out resistant organisms.
In a recent news release, Keith Moeller,
an ABL managing director, said, “What this means is that
we may have discovered a way to make existing antibiotics more
effective. ...By adding our silver to antibiotics we may be able
to overcome antibiotic resistance. This could increase the life
span and efficacy of individual antibiotics and positively impact
millions of people.”
CHINESE RESEARCH
Beijing’s Technical Institute
of Physics and Chemistry of CAS Beijing ChamGo Nano-Tech is among
China’s leading companies in research and application of
antimicrobial materials and antimicrobial agents. In a presentation
to the China International Silver Conference, Li Bizhong said
the potential market and applications for silver antimicrobial
agents are significant. He noted that silver-containing antimicrobial
agents have been widely used in ceramics for bathrooms, washstands,
tableware, floors and walls. Silver antimicrobial agents also
have potential applications in foods and food preservation, personal
care products, telecommunications, building materials, office
supplies, toys, medicine and health-related items, and even musical
instruments and cigarette filters.
[This article has been edited for brevity and space.]
|
